Lillian Ladele definitely has reason to be smug.

The British registrar, who filed a lawsuit for the religious right to refuse gay unions, won her case. Citing religious discrimination, a tribunal has ordered the Islington Council to fork over yet-to-be determined payout.

The settlement, which will be hashed out in September, definitely sets a precedent:

The ruling that employees should not be required to act against their consciences has implications for the 18,000 same-sex ceremonies conducted nationwide each year and could encourage other registrars with strong religious beliefs to take a similar stance.

Gay activist group Stonewall doesn't approve of the ruling, of course, remarking, "Doubtless there were those 40 years ago who claimed a moral objection to mixed marriages between people of different ethnic origin."

A British court will hear quite a case this week.

A registrar named Lillian Ladele filed a suit against her employers after they became "hostile" to her gay marriage opposition.

Once able to "opt out" of same-sex registration, registrars were recently absorbed into the state machine and, thus, must comply with anti-discrimination laws. Ladele, however, insists such a ruling discriminates against her Christian beliefs:

[Ladele] claims council bosses bullied her after she told them of her religious objections to same-sex civil partnerships.

In a landmark legal action, she is suing Islington Council in North London for discrimination and victimization on grounds of her Christianity.

The case could determine whether employees can be required to act against their consciences.

Ladele told the court that she's "unable to directly facilitate the formation of a union that I sincerely believe is contrary to God's law."